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A new update has emerged regarding Vitor Pereira’s potential replacement at Wolves, with the club eyeing a cheap alternative option to him if he is sacked.

The Old Gold have suffered a dire start to the 2025/26 Premier League season, picking up just two points from nine matches and sitting rooted to the bottom of the table. Their only points have been draws away to Tottenham and at home to Brighton.

After a promising period in charge last season, Pereira now finds himself battling to save his job, with the manager having to be dragged away from the supporters after last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 defeat at home to Burnley, and asking for their support after the game.

“We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible. If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

Potential replacements for Pereira have already been mentioned, including Brendan Rodgers, who left Celtic earlier this week after a disappointing start to the season, and who may like the idea of a return to the Premier League.

On Saturday afternoon, Wolves make the trip to Fulham, with defeat at Craven Cottage potentially proving to be the final nail in the coffin for the Wanderers boss.

Wolves have cheap managerial plan to replace Pereira

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Wolves “would hope to find an out-of-work manager” to replace Pereira in charge, should he be relieved of his duties in the near future.

The Premier League strugglers “will be looking for a cheap option” instead of “poaching a manager from another club”, and Wanderers “would prefer not to pay the compensation fee needed to release a working boss from their current contract”. That’s partly due to Pereira getting a big payout if he is sacked.

There is plenty of sense in this approach by Wolves, rather than bringing in a manager who is already in charge elsewhere, immediately making it a more expensive venture.

Wolves targeting Brendan Rodgers amid doubts about Vitor Pereira

The Old Gold have made a very poor start to the season.

2

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 29, 2025

Ideally, though, Pereira will turn things around at Molineux, overcoming this dreadful start to mastermind a great recovery as the seasons goes on.

Wolves targeting Brendan Rodgers amid doubts about Vitor Pereira

Sadly, that feels unlikely at the moment, with Wolves’ performances so disappointing on a regular basis, and the fact that a chunk of the fanbase has already turned on him feels like the writing is on the wall.

In Rodgers, Wolves could have a good option to bring in, with the Northern Irishman proving himself in the Premier League in the past, not least coming so close to winning the title with Liverpool back in 2013/14, playing some stunning attacking football along the way.

Celtic clinched their place against St Mirren in the final of the League Cup on Sunday with a 3-1 win over their Glasgow rivals at Hampden Park.

The Hoops needed extra time to get past their ten-man opponents, though, with goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand in the last 30 minutes sealing the win.

Interim head coach Martin O’Neill has won his first two matches in charge of the club, after beating Falkirk 4-0 in his first Scottish Premiership game last week.

Football Insider now reports that the interim boss has a chance to land the role until the end of the season if he picks up positive results in the next two games.

The outlet claims that O’Neill is closer to landing the job on a ‘permanent’ deal after beating Rangers 3-1, which would provide the club with more time to find a longer-term successor to Brendan Rodgers.

Whether Sunday was his last game or if he will be at the club for the rest of the season, the experienced manager appears to have unearthed a diamond for the next head coach in Callum Osmand.

Why Callum Osmand is an exciting prospect for Celtic

The Welsh youngster was signed from Premier League side Fulham in the summer after his contract with the English side expired at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

In the club’s official announcement post, Rodgers said: “He’s a quick and powerful striker and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Unfortunately, though, despite those comments from the Northern Irish boss, Osmand did not play a single minute of football under Rodgers before his resignation last week.

Callum Osmand’s U18 & U21 form for Fulham

Season

Appearances

Goals

Assists

24/25

22

11

4

23/24

29

21

6

22/23

21

11

2

21/22

1

0

0

Total

73

43

12

Stats via Transfermarkt

The 19-year-old centre-forward arrived at Parkhead as an incredibly exciting prospect because of his return of 43 goals in 73 matches for Fulham at U18 and U21 level.

His complete lack of minutes under Rodgers, though, meant that supporters were unable to see his quality on the pitch, which they have now seen under O’Neill in the last two games.

Osmand scored his first goal for the club in the 3-1 win over Rangers on Sunday, sliding in to convert Kieran Tierney’s cross, and came off the bench for his Scottish Premiership debut against Falkirk in O’Neill’s first game in charge.

To come on in such a big game, at a crucial time, and make a vital impact speaks to the youngster’s maturity and his quality, which is why he looks like such an exciting prospect for Celtic at the age of 19.

Osmand is not the only teenage attacker at the club who could be unearthed as a potential future superstar by O’Neill at Parkhead, though.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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The interim manager has shown that he is willing to bring young players into the first-team squad, as evidenced by Osmand’s emergence, which is why he should also look to unleash Rhys Dargie from the B team.

Why Rhys Dargie is as exciting as Callum Osmand

O’Neill could unearth another future superstar for the Scottish giants, as he has with Osmand, by bringing the versatile Scottish attacker into the senior side in the coming weeks, should he remain in post.

The 18-year-old predominantly plays on the right wing for the B team, per Transfermarkt, but he can also play on the left, through the middle as a striker, and in central midfield.

Dargie has produced four goals and three assists in ten appearances in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, whilst Benjamin Nygren (six) is the only first-team player with more than four goals.

The teenage talent is currently out with an injury, with no return date out in the public domain, but his form before his spell on the sidelines suggests that he is a player who should be on O’Neill’s radar when fit and available.

Dargie racked up nine goals in 11 matches in the Lowland League in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, whilst he also scored against Rangers in the Glasgow Cup final at the end of the season.

These statistics suggest that the young winger has the potential to provide goals and assists at first-team level if he can handle the jump up in quality, as Osmand has in recent days.

There is no guarantee that academy form will translate to senior level, of course, but Dargie’s performances at youth level suggest that he is as exciting a talent as Osmand is.

Academy form

Callum Osmand (Fulham)

Rhys Dargie (Celtic)

Appearances

75

26

Minutes played

5,324

1,601

Goals

46

13

Minutes per goal

114

123

Assists

13

3

Minutes per assist

410

533

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 18-year-old forward has scored and assisted goals at a fairly similar, albeit slightly worse, rate at youth level, which is impressive when you consider that Osmand is a striker and the Scottish forward mainly plays on the wing.

This is why O’Neill should look at Dargie as a potential option on the right flank in the coming weeks, if he is fit enough to come into contention, as he could emerge as a surprise star for the club.

Osmand’s big moment against Rangers on Sunday shows that a change in management can unearth talent that was not being utilised by the previous coaching group, which could also be the case for Dargie if he is given an opportunity to shine.

O’Neill, therefore, could provide the next permanent Celtic manager with two incredibly exciting talents who could be future superstars for the Hoops by offering Osmand and Dargie first-team experience.

Related What "VAR said" about Auston Trusty's kick on Jack Butland in Celtic v Rangers

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 2, 2025

Manchester United have now submitted a £26m opening offer for a former Premier League striker, who has been in impressive form this season.

Man Utd looking to sign new striker amid Sesko's slow start

Benjamin Sesko’s Man United career is yet to truly take off, having scored two goals in his first 11 Premier League games, and the Slovenian striker has missed the last two matches due to a knee injury, with Joshua Zirkzee leading the line against Crystal Palace last time out.

With Zirkzee ending his goal drought in the 2-1 triumph against the Eagles, it remains to be seen whether Sesko will be able to force his way back into the side upon his return, but the Dutchman could be on the move in the January transfer window.

West Ham United are now planning to sign Zirkzee this winter as a replacement for Niclas Fullkrug, with AS Roma also being credited as potential suitors, and the 24-year-old departing would exacerbate the need for Ruben Amorim to bring in a new centre-forward.

According to a report from Spain, Man United have now submitted an offer of around €30m (£26m) for Real Betis striker Cucho Hernandez, who has emerged as an important player for the Spanish side under the helm of Manuel Pellegrini.

The bid is said to be ‘financially attractive’ to Betis, but the La Liga side now have a big decision to make, given that Cucho could be the key to them having a successful season, and it would be difficult to replace him.

United are looking to bring in forwards capable of providing ‘energy, mobility and goals’, and they have decided the 26-year-old fits the bill, off the back of an impressive 2025-26 campaign thus far…

Cucho impressing in La Liga and Europa League

The Colombian recently scored his first Europa League goal of the season in Betis’ 2-1 victory against Utrecht, and he has also put in some eye-catching displays in La Liga, chipping in with five goals and two assists in 14 games.

The former Watford man has some Premier League experience too, scoring five goals in 25 matches for the Hornets in the 2021-22 campaign, during which time Claudio Ranieri said: “I love him, because always during the training session he gives 100 per cent. He wants to score, he wants to shoot. He is a fighter. I love these kinds of people.”

"Elite" England star now Ruben Amorim's number one target at Man Utd

Man United are looking to strengthen in the middle of the park.

ByDominic Lund Dec 3, 2025

Man United should have reservations about signing Cucho, given that the centre-forward wasn’t exactly prolific during his previous stint in England, but he could be a decent back-up option for Sesko, should Zirkzee move on this winter.

Jon Lewis has joined his old county Gloucestershire in a newly-created director of cricket role which will cover both men’s and women’s cricket, after losing his job as England women’s head coach earlier this year.Lewis, who won 16 England caps across formats as a swing bowler, spent the vast majority of his playing career at Gloucestershire and has worked at the ECB in various coaching roles since, including as Under-19s head coach and fast-bowling coach in the men’s game. “It feels like I’m coming home,” he told the club’s YouTube channel.He took over as England women’s coach in late 2022 but paid the price for their disastrous 16-0 Ashes defeat in Australia last winter, which saw him replaced in the role by Charlotte Edwards. Lewis also spent three years at UP Warriorz in the WPL, and will oversee Gloucestershire’s push towards a fully professional women’s set-up in the years to come.Lewis will work closely with Mark Alleyne, Gloucestershire men’s head coach, who won the T20 Blast in his first season in charge but oversaw a disappointing 2024 campaign. His arrival will belatedly fill the vacancy left by Steve Snell’s removal as performance director midway through the 2023 summer.”It’s a big job. There’s a lot to do,” Lewis said. “I’m excited to be back at a place that has a really special meaning for me. It created a lot of opportunities for me to be better as a player, and hopefully I can give people opportunities to do the same things that I did here.”Ajeet Singh Dale is among several seamers leaving Gloucestershire•Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Lewis said that a long-term priority will be to bring through more players from the local area. “We haven’t had a really strong production line of cricketers coming from Gloucestershire and Bristol. That’s a high priority for us here at the club, to make sure that we put the processes in place that are able to produce Gloucestershire cricketers from Gloucestershire.”Gloucestershire’s men have already lost a swathe of seamers ahead of next season, with Archie Bailey (Durham), Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire), Zaman Akhter (Essex), Josh Shaw (Somerset), Dom Goodman and Tom Price (both Sussex) all leaving the club. Craig Miles (Warwickshire) and Will Williams (Lancashire) will both join, but Lewis wants further reinforcements.”It’s important that we try to work out how to replace those players, whether it’s from within the squad or also from outside, or from overseas,” he said. “We’ve got some real thinking to do in that space to make sure that the club becomes really competitive across all formats next year.”Gloucestershire’s women play in Tier Two of the ECB’s new domestic set-up, but Lewis hopes that will change in the long term: “That’d be a big goal for us here at the club… I’m hoping that this becomes a place where players become really fond of playing, and they feel like they’re able to grow, to learn, and to get a lot better at playing cricket.”

Stevens returns to Kent for 2026

Darren Stevens was a fan favourite in his playing career for Kent•Nathan Stirk/ECB/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Kent have announced that club legend Darren Stevens will work in Adam Hollioake’s coaching staff as a bowling consultant in 2026. Stevens left the county three years ago when, at 46, he was not offered a new contract and has since worked in coaching roles for South East Stars and Essex women.He will work alongside Kent’s newly-appointed bowling coach Sam Faulkner, who has progressed through the club’s backroom staff and will replace Robbie Joseph in the role. Jaahid Ali, a former Pakistan A player, has replaced Toby Radford as batting coach.”Stevo coming back to Kent to join our bowling coaching provision will undoubtedly by popular with our members and supporters,” Simon Cook, the club’s director of cricket, said. “His experience and coaching skills will be invaluable to our first-team bowlers as we head into a new season under Adam Hollioake.”With Sam and Jaahid, there will be clear guidance and mentoring for our young talent at first-team, Academy and Pathway level to make any transition to a higher level more seamless from a playing perspective. Both Sam and Jaahid have worked closely with our Talent Pathway for a number of years now and are both held in high regard by our Pathway players and staff.”

Worcestershire 593 for 9 (Roderick 151, Brookes 100, D’Oliveira 84, Taylor 66*, Edavalath 61) vs DurhamWorcestershire’s relegation was confirmed on day three of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham despite centuries from Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes.Worcestershire, whose fate was sealed after failing to pick up a third batting point, continued to frustrate a Durham side desperately seeking points to avoid the same fate.Roderick picked up his 12th first class century on a docile pitch after the morning session was washed out and despite a first Durham wicket for Afghan leg spinner Shafiqullah Ghafari, they continued to pile on the runs throughout the day.Brookes joined Roderick in the middle and he picked up his fifty, while Roderick passed 150, but a double-wicket burst from Sam Conners halted the Pears’ momentum.However, Brookes continued the onslaught and notched up three figures as the Pears finished on 591 for 9 at the close.Rain meant that play didn’t start until 1.20pm with 70 overs in the day and Roderick, unbeaten on 95, and nightwatcher Ben Gibbon resumed Worcestershire’s innings.Gibbon continued his good work from the previous night as he frustrated the Durham bowlers and Roderick finally got his first century of the season, coming off 180 deliveries.Gibbon continued to play his strokes, picking up a boundary on the offside off the bowling of Ghafari.Conners almost got the breakthrough as Gibbon edged one on 28, but Emilio Gay couldn’t cling on to it at second slip.Ghafari got his first Durham wicket, Gibbon lbw for 33, but it was too late for a second Durham bowling point.The Pears duo of Roderick and Brookes then guided their side to 400, however Raine nearly had Brookes caught behind, but Ollie Robinson couldn’t hold to a diving catch.The solid Roderick continued to frustrate the home side as he played a lovely dab off Will Rhodes to third region for four just before tea.Roderick resumed after tea as he slammed a Matthew Potts delivery through the covers for four, while Brookes produced a carbon copy in the same over.The Pears keeper continued his vigil in the middle by punishing a Rhodes delivery, but Roderick offered a rare opportunity as Rhodes couldn’t cling on to a caught-and-bowled opportunity. Milestones then followed for the visitors as Brookes passed fifty from 86 balls, while Roderick picked up his 150 from 276 balls.Brookes was dropped a second time, as he edged a Ghafari ball on 57, but Robinson spilled the catch, and Brookes made him pay as he picked up the first six of the game with a hit down the ground.Roderick finally fell for 151, as Conners got him lbw, his second of the match and he followed that up with the wicket of Matthew Waite for a three-ball duck.Brookes continued to pick up runs as he played a wonderful sweep shot for four off the bowling of Ghafari and he took his side to 500 later in the over.Tom Taylor got another life as he miscued one when he was on 15, but Gay couldn’t hold onto it.Brookes then picked up his second ton of the campaign from 130 balls and Taylor absolutely smashed one down the ground for four one ball later.Brookes departed for 100 as he was bowled by Potts after going for a big shot, but he completely missed it, however his team-mate Taylor got to fifty from 54 balls.Final pair Ben Allison and Taylor took Worcestershire to close and will resume unbeaten on 10 and 64 respectively in the morning.

Kyle Schwarber is a home run king this week, to say the least.

The Phillies star was the hero for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday. The game was tied after nine innings, causing the first-ever "extra-inning" swing-off to play out. Schwarber was chosen as one of the NL's hitters, and essentially won the game for the team. Each player had three swings, and Schwarber blasted a homer into the stands on each of his three swings.

In the team's first game back since the All-Star break on Friday night vs. the Angels, Schwarber kept this home run streak alive as he hit a homer on the first swing he took since Tuesday. It's pretty impressive to be able to say the last four swings you took all resulted in home runs.

It was the outfielder's 31st home run during the regular season. He is now tied for the fourth-most in MLB right now along with Eugenio Suarez. Schwarber was the MLB's home run leader in 2022. Mariners star Cal Raleigh, who won the official Home Run Derby on Monday, leads the league with 38 homers this season.

While they’ve not all been hits, Chelsea have signed some seriously talented players over the last few years.

The best of them all, though, has undoubtedly been Cole Palmer, who has taken the Premier League by storm since his arrival in 2023.

The Englishman has already produced 74 goal involvements for the side in just 101 appearances and, so long as he’s fit, will most certainly be going to the World Cup with England.

So it’s great news that Cobham looks like it may well have just produced Chelsea a right-footed version of the ice-cold superstar.

Chelsea's most exciting academy gems

Cobham has long been one of, if not the best, academies in England, and there are once again a handful of seriously exciting academy prospects who could soon be making a significant impact on the Chelsea first team.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

For example, Shim Mheuka has been on fire for some time now and even made a few appearances for the senior side last season.

As things stand, the 18-year-old phenomenon has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in just 12 appearances across various youth sides, totalling 977 minutes.

Appearances

61

Goals

34

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

That comes out to an outrageous average of 1.33 goal involvements every game, or one every 61.06 minutes, and helps to explain why respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as “the future of Chelsea and English football.”

Moving deeper down the pitch, and while it’s likely going to be a couple of years before he’s given a chance in the first team, Reggie Watson looks to be the real deal.

The 15-year-old can, and has played in a few positions for the youth sides, but is at his best as a six, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “midfield powerhouse.”

Another analyst has highlighted his impressive “passing and vision” as well as his knack for “dictating the tempo of the game.”

He’s not just impressive at club level either, as, after producing six goal involvements in six appearances for England’s under-15s, he was moved up to the under-16s, where he has already scored three goals in just six games.

With all that said, there is another gem who is arguably the most exciting of the lot, and the one who could be Chelsea’s own homegrown Palmer.

Chelsea's homgrown Palmer

While there are an impressive number of academy talents who could become first-team stars at Chelsea, one of the most exciting, and the one who could become the club’s homegrown Palmer, is Reggie Walsh.

The 17-year-old gem joined the Blues at the under-8s level and has worked his way through the academy, impressing at every step of the way and made his competitive debut for the club in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden last season.

He then became the club’s youngest European starter in the second leg, aged just 16 years and 200 days.

With all that said, what about him means he could be the club’s next Palmer?

Well, while he hasn’t got an outrageous goalscoring record with the youth sides, he, like the Blues starman, is a proper entertainer on the ball, someone capable of doing the simple things while also playing with some flair.

For example, he has been described as a “truly ridiculous” talent by Como scout Felix Johnston, and when asked about him last season, Maresca was full of praise for his playstyle, describing him as “perfect for our system.”

As if that wasn’t enough, another analyst claimed the youngster is “a joy to watch”, and u23 scout Antonio Mango went even further than that, stating that “watching Reggie Walsh perform is a thing of beauty.”

The right-footed gem isn’t just making waves at club level, though, as he’s gone through England’s u15s, u16s, u17s and u18s.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but Walsh is clearly a star in the making, and like Palmer, is a truly entertaining player to watch.

Forget Delap: Cobham star who "lives & breathes goals" is Chelsea's future #9

The incredible Cobham gem could be a star for Chelsea but a problem for Delap.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2025

Those of a Liverpool persuasion will feel battered and bruised after Arne Slot’s side’s staggering drop-off this season.

The slew of defeats have forced a retreat from their position at the top of the Premier League ladder, and as Alexis Mac Allister said after arresting the losing run at West Ham United on Sunday, the title is not on anyone’s mind; rather, finding a measure of consistency and fluency on the pitch is the incentive right now.

Liverpool might have spent a bucketload this summer, but they also parted with key players, with writer Eddie Gibbs saying, “Liverpool right now look like a side caught between three different ideas of themselves, with none taking root.”

A few tweaks are needed, to be sure. And Liverpool are considering a new wide forward to restore balance across the frontline.

Why Liverpool want a forward

When Liverpool capped off their summer spending spree with the British-record addition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, the Premier League was in concert: Liverpool had signed a host of elite players.

And while Isak scored his first Premier League goal for the club on Saturday, it’s been a testing start to the season, with injuries and a lack of fluency a by-product of Liverpool’s wider struggles.

Florian Wirtz, too, looks like he is starting to click into gear, but the Reds have been imbalanced in the final third, and adding width would open up a new dimension from which Slot could rebuild his side’s form.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are frontrunners in the race for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who has been among the standout forwards in the Premier League this season.

The Ghana international, 25, has a £65m release clause which becomes active in January, and so Liverpool are not alone in their interest, with Manchester City and Tottenham also ready to lodge bids if the right opportunity presents itself.

In fact, Pep Guardiola’s side have initiated contact, so it’s time for Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes to roll up his sleeves.

Why Semenyo would be a better signing than Isak

Semenyo has only gone from strength to strength since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City in the Championship in January 2023. Andoni Iraola has taken that promising skillset and sculpted it into something special.

Now, Semenyo is considered to be “one of the best players in the league” by BBC writer Umir Irfan and it’s a sentiment many would agree with after a prolific start to the campaign, six goals and three assists posted in the Premier League already.

Two-footed and effortlessly dynamic, Semenyo has proved too tricky to handle for many Premier League defenders in recent memory, something of a monster in the duel and a fearsome, rip-roaring asset down the wing. He is a big-game player besides.

The thing is, Semenyo is conservative in his athletic application; he does not prance about with the force of an uncoiled spring. In this he echoes Luis Diaz, who brought a different flavour to Slot’s title-winning team and has not been directly replaced.

Perhaps Semenyo could be the signing that Liverpool need, one which would prove even more impactful than Isak, who has yet to prove he is worth the record sum, even when banked by such illustrious heights in black and white over the past several years.

Matches (starts)

13 (11)

12 (12)

Goals

4

6

Assists

3

3

Touches*

43.5

49.6

Shots (on target)*

2.5 (0.5)

2.2 (1.2)

Accurate passes*

19.1 (79%)

19.9 (77%)

Chances created*

1.9

1.3

Dribbles*

1.2

1.8

Recoveries*

2.7

5.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.9

1.8

Duels won*

5.2

6.3

Gakpo has enjoyed a quietly effective season on the left so far for Liverpool, even against the current of their crisis. However, he is far less mobile than Semenyo, and he lacks the clarity and sparkle on the ball that Semenyo imbues the Cherries flanks with.

It really cannot be understated how unique Semenyo is. This is a winger who is making incremental gains, a winger who could now bloom into a true superstar not only in the Premier League but in Europe’s elite club competition too.

Liverpool have been imbalanced this season, and this is the profile that Liverpool need. It has the potential to be the best signing of the season for the Reds, albeit one which should have been completed back at the start of the campaign.

Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"

Liverpool and FSG are considering a host of positions ahead of the January transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2025

India ended day three in Delhi still in the lead by 97 runs

Sidharth Monga12-Oct-20253:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

West Indies made it to the second new ball for the first time this year, they registered their highest partnership for the year – an unbroken 138 between John Campbell and Shai Hope, Campbell became their first half-centurion of the series with a career-best 87, Hope scored his first half-century in 31 innings, but for all that good work they still needed 97 runs to make India bat again in Delhi. Kuldeep Yadav conjured a fifth Test five-for on a docile pitch to allow India to enforce the follow-on, but the temptation to finish the match early only resulted in hard work for the bowlers: India have now taken four wickets in their last 75.2 overs.India were not in immediate danger of falling behind in the Test, but they will question if they had been complacent in enforcing the follow-on: when you do so midway into the third day, having bowled 81.5 overs already, there must be an element of expecting the opposition to roll over. India were then left riding two boats: trying to get the wicket but also preserving their bowlers, which meant Jasprit Bumrah didn’t bowl in the first 32 overs of the second innings.

Seales fined for throw at Jaiswal

Jayden Seales has been fined 25% of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC’s code of conduct during the opening day of the ongoing second Test against India in Delhi.
Seales was found to have breached Article 2.9 of the code of conduct, which relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an international match”.
In addition, one demerit point has been added to Seales’ disciplinary record, taking his total demerit points to two in a 24-month period.
The incident in question took place in the 29th over of India’s first innings, when Seales fielded the ball on his follow-through and threw it at batter Yashaswi Jaiswal, hitting him on the pads.
Seales contested the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft, saying he had been attempting a run out, so a formal hearing was required. Pycroft referred to replay clips showing the incident from different angles, and concluded that the throw was unnecessary and inappropriate.

Overall, though, eight wickets in a day on this Delhi pitch was not an ordinary effort. It was mainly down to Kuldeep, who overcame the lack of spite in the surface with work in the air and keeping the stumps in play. Four of his five wickets were either bowled or lbw, exposing both edges with drift and subtle changes in the degree and direction of turn.Kuldeep Yadav picked up his fifth Test match five-for•AFP/Getty Images

Kuldeep began with the off stump of Hope in the seventh over of the day. In the first Test, he beat Hope’s inside edge to bowl him, but this slow pitch needed something more. The drift from Kuldeep took the ball away from the original expected line, and then the ball didn’t turn as much as expected. Pretty soon, Tevin Imlach was beaten on the inside edge by a rare delivery that turned sharply. Justin Greaves contributed to his own dismissal with an ungainly reverse-sweep, which he missed by some distance. Kuldeep was on target again.At the other end, Bumrah first and then Mohammed Siraj had been looking to hit the front pad of the batters. Jomel Warrican was aware of that threat, but it cemented his feet, resulting in playing a full ball away from the body, playing it on to give a fast bowler a wicket for the first time in the match.Related

• 'Test match still on' – West Indies 'hope to make a game out of' India's follow-on gamble

• Kuldeep's stump vision defies flat Delhi pitch

• 'Impact injury' keeps Sai Sudharsan off the field on the third day

Now, at 175 for 8, began West Indies’ resistance. Khary Pierre and Anderson Phillip batted together for 16.5 overs, taking West Indies to lunch and beyond. Bumrah had to come back for another spell to beat Pierre on the outside edge with reverse swing. Kuldeep had to work hard for his fifth wicket, including bowling with the new ball. He eventually got the fifth but not before the last wicket had batted nine overs together.If there had been any doubts about enforcing the follow-on, they must have only grown with these two partnerships. Having still decided to continue bowling, India opened with Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja. Bumrah, who had bowled eight overs already, would be the last bowler employed (discounting Yashasvi Jaiswal who was handed the final over of the day). The fields India used didn’t seem to suggest they believed there was enough in the pitch to produce wickets.Shai Hope didn’t hold back his shots•BCCI

It still seemed to be going all wrong for West Indies again when they lost the first two wickets for just 35 runs. Siraj got Tagenarine Chanderpaul on the pull for the second time in the series. Washington Sundar then produced the ball of the day, drifting it in from wide on the crease and then turning away to bowl Alick Athanaze, who has looked like West Indies’ best batter on this tour.Campbell and Hope then began to frustrate India. Campbell, who was out to a freak catch that just stuck in the short leg fielder’s arms in the first innings, arguably deserved some of the luck he enjoyed against Washington, who kept defeating him with his drift. On two occasions, Campbell was hit on the pad before the bat, but on both occasions the umpire’s call on the impact saved him from the lbw.With no zip in the pitch, the duo defended well and kept bringing out the big hit every now and then. Campbell showed particular intent against Jadeja and Kuldeep. The latter went for 36 in his first six overs. It was clear West Indies didn’t want to let Kuldeep settle. Campbell swept him for a six and lofted him down the ground for a four in his first over to bring up his fifty.Hope relied more on his touch play, the kind we are used to in ODIs, although he did get going with a slog-swept six off Washington. Errors in length began to creep in soon, fielding grew lethargic with bowlers misfielding off their own bowling, and India even conceded a no-ball for having too many fielders behind square on the leg side. Jaiswal ended the day with friendly legbreaks as West Indies won a session for the first time in the series.

Bangladesh have home series lined up against Ireland, West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand in the 2025-26 season calendar

Mohammad Isam18-Sep-2025

Mushfiqur Rahim will play his 100th Test against Ireland in Dhaka•AFP/Getty Images

Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to play his 100th Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka when Bangladesh face Ireland in the second Test of the two-match series starting November 19.The update comes after Cricket Ireland agreed to play both Tests, having earlier reportedly wanted to play an ODI series instead of the second Test. The first Bangladesh-Ireland Test will be played in Sylhet from November 11.Mushfiqur, currently on 98 Tests, will become the first Bangladesh cricketer to reach the three figure milestone when he gets there. He made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2005 at Lord’s, becoming the second-youngest to play a Test at the venue after Sachin Tendulkar.He is currently Bangladesh’s only batter with 6000-plus runs. His 219 not out against Zimbabwe in 2020 is also the team’s highest individual score.After Bangladesh and Ireland face off in two Tests, the T20Is will be held on November 27 and 29 in Chattogram, and in Dhaka on December 2.Cricket West Indies, meanwhile, announced on Wednesday that West Indies will tour Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in October. They will play the three ODIs on October 18, 20 and 23 and the three T20Is on October 27 and 30, and November 1.According to the ICC’s future tours programme, the December-January window is free for Bangladesh, which means that the Bangladesh Premier League is likely to be held at that time. The T20 World Cup will follow in February.Bangladesh’s 2025-26 calendar also includes home series against Pakistan and New Zealand.